Collapsible container



W..M. WHEILDON.

ACOLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.24. 1911.

Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

AWILLIAM lVI. WI-IEILDON, 0F ASHLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORTO'EDWARDI-I.

` ANGIER, 0F FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

COLLAPSBLE CONTAINER.

To all whom t may cof/mera.'

Be it known thatl I, WILLIAM M. VVHEIL- noN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of Ashland, in the county of Middlesex andCommonwealth of vMassachusetts have invented an lmprovement inCollapsible Containers, of which'the following description, Vinconnectionv with the accompanying drawings, is a speciiication, likecharacters onthe drawings representing like parts.

This' invention relates :to containers particularly of the typearrangedto collapse or fold away into small space and the vobject is toprovide a simple and eificientdevice of that nature. Y l. Y

My invention will best be understood by reference to the followingdescription of an illustrative embodiment thereof shown intheaccompanying drawings, wherein,'

' Figure 1 is a side view of a container, adapted for use as a waterbucket, in its collapsed form;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the device brought into position foruse as a container;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 2 ;k

Fig. et is a broken away view of a part of the lower corner of thecontainer on amuch larger scale; and y Fig. 5 is a section on the line5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings my container comprisesa suitable flat frame desirably substantially 'U-shaped in form and hereshown as comprising the bottom member 7 and the arms 9, which mayconveniently iiare as shown.' 1n the present embodiment of the inventionthis member is made in a single piece and may be constructed from heavywire which will possess a certain degree of resiliency. Stretchedbetween the arms 9 of the container is a bag 11 formed from a doublethickness of suit-- able flexible material, such as light metal,

textile fabric or heavy paper. In the present embodiment of theinvention I have illustrated a bag formed from a composite waterproofsheet which consists of two sheets of paper secured together by anadhesive in which reinforcing textile threads 13 are embedded. Thepreferred manner herein illustrated of attaching the bag to the arms 9of the frame will be more fully described hereinafter.

Specification of 'Letters Patent. :Pggnted Api- 19, 1921 l Y'Applicationfiled January 24, 1917. serial No. 144,270.

bestin Fig. 3 to form a spacious receptacle.

Means are provided for holding the parts in the position shown in Figs.2 and 3 to permit the container to be conveniently utilized, and suchmeans may, as in the present instance, serve as a handle for thecontainer. I have here shown the arms 9 as provided with integralinwardly-directed extensionsr 15 which may terminate as shown in opponsitely directed hook portions 17. One of these hook portions may have aterminal projection 19 adapted to fit a corresponding recess 21 in thepoint of the opposite hook portion. Zhen the arms 9 are drawntogetherthe points of the hooks oppose each other and the projection 19will fit the recess 21 and lock the two together as shown in .Fig 2. Theeffective length of the two portions 15 when locked together is lessthan the width at its mouth of the bag 11 when spread fiat, and thus thetwo arms 9 are held pressed toward each other and fullness of the bag 11is provided for. The extensions 15 provide a handle or bail for thecontainer and in the particular embodiment shown the hook portions 17cooperate to form an oval handreceiving loop.

By such means as described, the bag is held in the position shown inFigs. 2 and 3 and may conveniently be carried about. The bottom part 7of the frame forms a grip by -which the container may be tilted, for eX-ample, to pour from it or to dip with it.

l have here shown a rod 23 pivotally secured by a rivet 25 to the bottommember 7 of' the frame and, as shown in Fig. 1, adapted to lie in thesame plane. When the container is brought to the position of Figs. 2 and3, the rod 23 may be turned on the pivot 25 to a position transverse tothe member 7, thus forming an extended bottom on which the bucket maystand.

wrapped about an arm 9 and clamped thereto, conveniently by means of achanneled spring member 27 having the sectional form clearly shown inFig. 5 and somewhat similar to the Greek capital letter omega. Thischanneled member embraces both the arm 9 and the edges of the bag, andclamps the latter about the former. The structure may be such that themember 27 may be slid longitudinally from the member 9 to release thebag l1. The frame may be llattened or reduced slightly as shown at 29 toenter the restricted mouth of member 2? and thus permit the applicationthereof@ By such means the latter may readily be removed. For example,the frame may be supplied with a number of bags of some cheap materialsuch as paper, and the user can place a new bag in position in the framewhenever he desires.

A container such as that described is readily and cheaply made, may bestored away in small space when collapsed and conn veniently distendedfor use. When distended it is of stable form and its frame renders iteasy to handle. 1 have herein described a single embodiment in detailbut it will be understood that the construction may be widely variedwithout departing from the principles of the invention.

l/Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. Acollapsible, unitary, individually' portable container comprising aresilient frame substantially of U-shape, a flexible bag extendingbetween the arms thereof, and means to hold said arms abnormally pressedtoward one another to provide for fullness of the bag, said meansextending across the mouth of the bag and constituting` a bail-likehandle for the container.

2. A collapsible container comprising` a resilient frame substantiallyof U-shape, a flexible bag extending between the arms thereof, said armshaving in-turned portions opposite the base of said frame providingmeans to hold said arms abnormally pressed toward one another to providefor fullness of the bag.

3. A collapsible container comprising a resilient frame substantially ofU-shape, a flexible bag extending between the arms thereof, said armshaving in-turned portions opposite the base of said frame provided withterminal hook portions, the points of which are adapted to beinterlocked thereby both to hold said arms abnormally pressed toward oneanother to provide for fullness of the bag and also to present ahand-receiving loop.

4. A collapsible, unitary, individually portable container comprisingV asubstantially U-shaped frame, a flexible bag between the arms thereof,and means for holding said arms together to provide for fullness of thebag, said means extending across the mouth of the bag and providing abail-like handle for the container.

5. A- collapsible, unitary, individually portable container comprising aflexible, -open-topped bag, stiff supporting bars extending along theedges of the bagsubstantially throughout the length'thereof and securedthereto and shiftable means for connecting said bars across the mouth ofthe bag in connecting position providing a substantially rigid baillikehandle of less length than the width of the mouth ofthe bag whenv spreadflat, which handle determinately spaces said bars to provide in said baga fullness furnishing a receptacle.

6. A collapsible, unitary, individually portable container comprising aflexible, open-topped bag, stiff supporting bars extending along' theedges of the bag substantially throughout thelength thereof and securedthereto, said bars having inturned ex tensions adjacent the mouth of thebag arranged to interlock and having an effective length less than thewidth at its mouth of the bag when spread flat.

7. A unitary, individually portable container comprising a substantiallyplane frame having opposed side portions and opposed top and bottomportions, a flexible. f

bag extending between said side' portions, said frame being distortablein its plane and having a position in which said top portion provides abail-like hand/le and in which said bag has a fullness furnishing areceptacle and having provision whereby it may be held in such position.

8. A container comprising a substantially plane frame having opposedside portions and opposed top and bottom portions, a flexible bagextending between said' side portions, said frame beingdistortable'inits plane and having a position in which said top portionprovides a bail-like handle and in which said bag has a fullnessfurnishing a receptacle, and having provision whereby it may be held insuch position, said side portions embodying in their structure channeledclamps embracing the edges of the bag.

9. A collapsible container comprising a frame having opposed sideportions, a flexithe mouths of said clamp to facilitate the frame beingresilient and normally holding application thereof. y lsaid bag extendedflat between said arms, 10

10. A collapsible, unitary, individually said connection providing meansfor holdportable container comprising an opening said bars abnormallypressed together topped bag and a frame including side bars to providefullness in the bag. secured to the sides of said bag and a con- Intestimony whereof, I have signed my nection adapted to extend bail-liketherebename to this specification. v tween across the mouth of said bag,said VILLIAM M. WHEILDON..

